Robert Florey (14 September 1900 – 16 May 1979) was a French-American director, screenwriter, film journalist and actor. Born as Robert Fuchs in Paris, he became an orphan at an early age and was then raised in Switzerland. In 1920 he worked at first as a film journalist, then as an assistant and extra in featurettes from

Louis Feuillade Louis Feuillade (; 19 February 1873 – 25 February 1925) was a French filmmaker of the silent era. Between 1906 and 1924, he directed over 630 films. He is primarily known for the crime serials '' Fantômas'', '' Les Vampires'' and '' Judex ...

. Florey moved to the United States in 1921. As a director, Florey's most productive decades were the 1930s and 1940s, working on relatively low-budget fillers for Paramount and

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

. His reputation is balanced between his avant-garde expressionist style, most evident in his early career, and his work as a fast, reliable studio-system director called on to finish troubled projects, such as 1939's '' Hotel Imperial''. Florey directed more than 50 films, the best known likely being the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) ...

first feature, '' The Cocoanuts'' (1929). His 1932 foray into Universal-style horror, ''

Murders in the Rue Morgue "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in ''Graham's Magazine'' in 1841. It has been described as the first modern detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his "tales of ratiocination". C. Auguste Dup ...

'', is regarded by horror fans as highly reflective of

German expressionism German Expressionism () consisted of several related creative movements in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in north and central ...

. In 2006, as his 1937 film ''

Daughter of Shanghai ''Daughter of Shanghai'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Anna May Wong. Unusually for the time, East Asian American actors played the lead roles. It was also one of the first films in which Anthony Quinn appe ...

'' was selected for preservation in the United States

National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception ...

by the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...

, Florey was called "widely acclaimed as the best director working in major studio B-films".

Life and work

Early life

Florey grew up in Paris near the studio of George Melies, and as a young man served as assistant to

. He was an assistant director on ''L'orpheline'' (1921), and ''

Parisette ''Parisette'' is a 1921 French drama film serial directed by Louis Feuillade. Cast * Sandra Milovanoff as Parisette * Georges Biscot as Cogolin * Fernand Herrmann as Le banquier Stephan * Édouard Mathé as Pedro Alvarez * René Clair as Jea ...

'' (1921).

Hollywood

Florey went to Hollywood in 1921 as a journalist for Cinemagazine. He worked as foreign publicity director for Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford and was European advance manager for

Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...

. He was an assistant director on '' Parisian Nights'' (1925). He went to MGM where he was an assistant on ''

The Masked Bride ''The Masked Bride'' is a 1925 American silent romantic drama film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Mae Murray, Francis X. Bushman, and Basil Rathbone. It is currently a lost film. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, Gab ...

'' (1925), ''

Exquisite Sinner ''The Exquisite Sinner'' is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Josef von Sternberg and adapted by Alice Duer Miller from the novel ''Escape'' by Alden Brooks. Starring Conrad Nagel and Renée Adorée, the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) n ...

'' (1926), '' Bardelys the Magnificent'' (1926), ''

La Bohème ''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '' quadri'', '' tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giusep ...

'' (1926) and ''

The Magic Flame ''The Magic Flame'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Henry King, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, and based on the 1900 play ''Konig Harlekin'' by Rudolph Lothar. George Barnes was nominated at the 1st Academy Awards for Best Cin ...

'' (1927). He also shot newsreel footage in New York.

Early films

Florey's first film as director was '' One Hour of Love'' (1927) for Tiffany Productions. He did '' The Romantic Age'' (1927) for Columbia and ''

Face Value The face value, sometimes called nominal value, is the value of a coin, bond, stamp or paper money as printed on the coin, stamp or bill itself by the issuing authority. The face value of coins, stamps, or bill is usually its legal value. Howe ...

'' (1927) for Stirling Pictures. He was assistant on '' The Woman Disputed'' (1928). He directed and co-wrote the 27-minute experimental film ''Johann the Coffinmaker'' in 1927, said to have been made for $200 in his spare time, shooting at night while working on other films in the daytime. The avant-garde film was made on only three sets, and involved a lot of trick photographic effects.

Shorts

In the late 1920s he produced two experimental short films: '' The Life and Death of 9413: a Hollywood Extra'' (1928) co-directed with

Slavko Vorkapić Slavoljub "Slavko" Vorkapić ( sr-Cyrl, Славољуб "Славко" Воркапић; March 17, 1894 – October 20, 1976), known in English as Slavko Vorkapich, was a Serbian-born Hollywood montagist, an independent cinematic artist, chair ...

, and ''Skyscraper Symphony'' the following year. He also directed the shorts ''Johann the Coffinmaker'' (1927), ''The Love of Zero'' (1928), ''Hello New York!'' (1928) with

Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", " Louise", " Mimi", and " Thank H ...

, and ''Pusher-in-the-Face'' (1929) from a script and story by F. Scott Fitzgerald published for the first time on the newspaper Woman's Home Companion.

Paramount

Florey accepted a contract to direct at Paramount Pictures, where he made '' The Hole in the Wall'' (1929), starring

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures ...

and

Edward G. Robinson Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg; December 12, 1893January 26, 1973) was a Romanian-American actor of stage and screen, who was popular during the Hollywood's Golden Age. He appeared in 30 Broadway plays and more than 100 films duri ...

, and '' The Cocoanuts'' (1929), the first film of the

. He directed a short with

Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. ...

, ''Night Club'' (1929), and made '' The Battle of Paris'' (1929) with

Gertrude Lawrence Gertrude Lawrence (4 July 1898 – 6 September 1952) was an English actress, singer, dancer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End of London and on Broadway in New York. Early life Lawrence was born Gertr ...

. Florey went to England to direct a French musical, ''

The Road Is Fine ''The Road Is Fine'' (French: ''La route est belle'') is a 1930 French musical film directed by Robert Florey and starring Laurette Fleury, André Baugé and Léon Bary.Marshall p.451 As no French studios had been converted for sound film, it w ...

'' (1930), and to Germany for '' My Wife's Teacher'' (1930), a Spanish language version of the film ''Rendezvous''. While in Germany he directed '' Love Songs'' (1930). He did ''

Black and White Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...

'' (1931) with

Raimu Jules Auguste Muraire (18 December 1883 – 20 September 1946), whose stage name was Raimu, was a French actor. He is most famous for playing César in the 'Marseilles trilogy' ('' Marius'', '' Fanny'' and '' César''). Life and career Born in T ...

, co-directing with Marc Allegret.

''Murders in the Rue Morgue''

Florey made a significant but uncredited contribution to the script of the 1931 version of ''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...

''. Florey was to be given the job of directing ''Frankenstein'', and filmed a screen test with

Bela Lugosi Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), known professionally as Bela Lugosi (; ), was a Hungarian and American actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', Ygor in ''S ...

playing the monster, but

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

wound up giving the job to

James Whale James Whale (22 July 1889 – 29 May 1957) was an English film director, theatre director and actor, who spent the greater part of his career in Hollywood. He is best remembered for several horror films: '' Frankenstein'' (1931), '' The ...

, who cast

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...

. Instead Universal assigned Florey and Lugosi to ''

'' (1932). Florey, with the help of

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

Karl Freund Karl W. Freund, A.S.C. (January 16, 1890 – May 3, 1969) was an Austrian cinematographer and film director best known for photographing ''Metropolis'' (1927), '' Dracula'' (1931), and television's '' I Love Lucy'' (1951-1957). Freund was an in ...

and elaborate sets representing 19th century Paris, made ''Murders'' into an American version of German

expressionist Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radi ...

films such as '' Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920). Florey directed '' The Man Called Back'' (1932) with

Conrad Nagel John Conrad Nagel (March 16, 1897 – February 24, 1970) was an American film, stage, television and radio actor. He was considered a famous matinée idol and leading man of the 1920s and 1930s. He was given an Academy Honorary Award in 1940 and ...

for Tiffany Pictures, and '' Those We Love'' (1932) with

Mary Astor Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...

. He wrote the script for a version of '' A Study in Scarlet '' (1933).

Warner Bros.

Florey went to Warner Bros. where he made directed a number of "B" movies: '' Girl Missing'' (1933) with

Glenda Farrell Glenda Farrell (June 30, 1904 – May 1, 1971) was an American actress. Farrell personified the smart and sassy, wisecracking blonde of the Classical Hollywood films. Farrell's career spanned more than 50 years, appearing in numerous Broadwa ...

and Ben Lyon, '' Ex-Lady'' (1933) with

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

, '' The House on 56th Street'' (1933) with Kay Francis, ''

Bedside ''Bedside'' is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film starring Warren William, Jean Muir and Allen Jenkins. Plot A man passes himself off as a doctor. Cast * Warren William as Bob Brown * Jean Muir as Caroline Grant * Allen Jenkins as Sam Sparks * ...

'' (1934) with

Warren William Warren William (born Warren William Krech; December 2, 1894 – September 24, 1948) was a Broadway and Hollywood actor, immensely popular during the early 1930s; he was later nicknamed the "King of Pre-Code". He was the first actor to play Pe ...

, ''

Registered Nurse A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to o ...

'' (1934) with

Bebe Daniels Phyllis Virginia "Bebe" Daniels (January 14, 1901 – March 16, 1971) was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer, and producer. She began her career in Hollywood during the silent film era as a child actress, became a star in musicals such ...

, '' Smarty'' (1934) with

Joan Blondell Joan Blondell (born Rose Joan Bluestein; August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed in film and television for 50 years. Blondell began her career in vaudeville. After winning a beauty pageant, she embarked on ...

and William, '' I Sell Anything'' (1934) with Pat O'Brien,'' I Am a Thief'' (1934) with Astor, '' The Woman in Red'' (1935) with

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

, and '' The Florentine Dagger'' (1935) with Donald Woods. He did some uncredited work on '' Go Into Your Dance'' (1935) with

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-billed ...

and

Ruby Keeler Ethel Ruby Keeler (August 25, 1909 – February 28, 1993) was an American actress, dancer, and singer who was paired on-screen with Dick Powell in a string of successful early musicals at Warner Bros., particularly '' 42nd Street'' (1933). From ...

and was assistant director on '' I've Got Your Number'' (1934). He also did some location filming in China for '' Oil for the Lamps of China'' (1935). Florey directed '' Going Highbrow'' (1935) with

Guy Kibbee Guy Bridges Kibbee (March 6, 1882 – May 24, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Early years Kibbee was born in El Paso, Texas. His father was editor of the ''El Paso Herald-Post'' newspaper, and Kibbee learned how to set type at age ...

, '' Don't Bet on Blondes'' (1935) with William (and a young

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, freque ...

), and '' The Payoff'' (1935) with James Dunn.

Paramount

Florey went to Paramount where he directed '' Ship Cafe'' (1935) with Carl Brisson, '' The Preview Murder Mystery'' (1936) with Reginald Denny, '' Till We Meet Again'' (1936) with

Herbert Marshall Herbert Brough Falcon Marshall (23 May 1890 – 22 January 1966) was an English stage, screen and radio actor who starred in many popular and well-regarded Hollywood films in the 1930s and 1940s. After a successful theatrical career in the Uni ...

, ''

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

'' (1936) with John Halliday and a young

Robert Cummings Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings (June 9, 1910 – December 2, 1990) was an American film and television actor who appeared in roles in comedy films such as '' The Devil and Miss Jones'' (1941) and ''Princess O'Rourke'' (1943), and in ...

, '' Outcast'' (1937) with William, ''

King of Gamblers ''King of Gamblers'' is a 1937 American low-budget gangster film directed by Robert Florey. Akim Tamiroff takes an unusual featured role as a slot-machine racketeer whose bombing of an uncooperative barber shop leads to a murder charge. (The fi ...

'' (1937) with

Claire Trevor Claire Trevor ( Wemlinger; March 8, 1910April 8, 2000) was an American actress. She appeared in 65 feature films from 1933 to 1982, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ''Key Largo'' (1948), and received nomina ...

and Lloyd Nolan, '' Mountain Music'' (1937) with Bob Burns and

Martha Raye Martha Raye (born Margy Reed; August 27, 1916 – October 19, 1994), nicknamed The Big Mouth, was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television. She also acted in plays, including Broadway. She was honored ...

, '' This Way Please'' (1937) with

Charles "Buddy" Rogers Charles Edward "Buddy" Rogers (August 13, 1904 – April 21, 1999) was an American film actor and musician. During the peak of his popularity in the late 1920s and early 1930s he was publicized as "America's Boyfriend". Life and career Early ...

and

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...

, ''

'' (1937) with

Anna May Wong Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain interna ...

, '' Dangerous to Know'' (1938) with Wong, and '' King of Alcatraz'' (1938) with

Gail Patrick Gail Patrick (born Margaret LaVelle Fitzpatrick, June 20, 1911 – July 6, 1980) was an American film actress and television producer. Often cast as the bad girl or the other woman, she appeared in more than 60 feature films between 1932 an ...

and Nolan. He did some uncredited work on '' Rose of the Rancho'' (1936). His films were marked by fast pace, cynical tone, Dutch angles, and dramatic lighting. Florey directed '' Hotel Imperial'' (1939) with

Isa Miranda Isa Miranda (born Ines Isabella Sampietro; 5 July 1909 – 8 July 1982) was an Italian actress with an international film career. Biography Miranda was born Ines Isabella Sampietro in Milan, the daughter of atreet car conductor in Mian. When ...

and

Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...

, '' The Magnificent Fraud'' (1939) with

Akim Tamiroff Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff, russian: Аким Михайлович Тамиров (born Hovakim Tamiryants; October 29, 1899 – September 17, 1972) was an Armenian-American actor of film, stage, and television. One of the premier character ac ...

and Nolan, '' Death of a Champion'' (1939) with

Lynne Overman Lynne may refer to: * Lynne (surname) * Lynne (given name) * Lynne, Florida, an unincorporated community * Lynne, Wisconsin, a town in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States {{Disambig ...

, '' Parole Fixer'' (1940) from a book by

J. Edgar Hoover John Edgar Hoover (January 1, 1895 – May 2, 1972) was an American law enforcement administrator who served as the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation ...

, and '' Women Without Names'' (1940) with Ellen Drew.

Columbia

Florey went to Columbia for '' The Face Behind the Mask'' (1941) with

Peter Lorre Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, first in Europe and later in the United States. He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before movin ...

, '' Meet Boston Blackie'' (1941) with

Chester Morris John Chester Brooks Morris (February 16, 1901 – September 11, 1970) was an American stage, film, television, and radio actor. He had some prestigious film roles early in his career, and received an Academy Award nomination for ''Alibi'' ( ...

, and ''

Two in a Taxi ''Two in a Taxi'' is a 1941 American film directed by Robert Florey. Writer Marvin Wald was inspired by seeing a production of Clifford Odets' ''Waiting for Lefty'' to write this drama of cab drivers and their economic struggles. Cast * Anita ...

'' (1941) with

Anita Louise Anita Louise (born Anita Louise Fremault; January 9, 1915 – April 25, 1970) was an American film and television actress best known for her performances in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' (1935), ''The Story of Louis Pasteur'' (1935), ''Anthony ...

Warner Bros.

Florey went to Warner Bros. for '' Dangerously They Live'' (1941) with John Garfield, '' Lady Gangster'' (1942) with Faye Emerson and the big budget musical ''

The Desert Song ''The Desert Song'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colo ...

'' (1943) with Dennis Morgan. At

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

he did some assisting on '' Bomber's Moon'' (1943) and directed ''

Roger Touhy, Gangster ''Roger Touhy, Gangster'' is a 1944 American gangster film based on the life of Chicago mob figure Roger Touhy, directed by film noir specialist Robert Florey. Parts of the film were shot at Stateville Correctional Center near Joliet, Illinois, ...

'' (1944) with

Preston Foster Preston Stratton Foster (August 24, 1900 – July 14, 1970), was an American actor of stage, film, radio, and television, whose career spanned nearly four decades. He also had a career as a vocalist. Early life Born in Ocean City, New Jersey ...

. He went to Republic for ''

Man from Frisco ''Man from Frisco'' (1944) is a United States feature-length spy and war film by Republic Pictures directed by Robert Florey and starring Michael O'Shea (1906–1973) and Anne Shirley. Plot Matt Braddock is a civil engineer during the Second W ...

'' (1944). In April 1944, he was burned when his car was on fire. Back at Warners Florey directed '' God Is My Co-Pilot'' (1945) with Morgan, and '' Danger Signal'' (1945) with Emerson and

Zachary Scott Zachary Scott (February 21, 1914 – October 3, 1965)Obituary '' Variety'', October 6, 1965. was an American actor who was known for his roles as villains and "mystery men". Early life Scott was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Sallie L ...

. He did some uncredited work on ''

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_ ...

'' (1945) with

and returned to the horror genre with '' The Beast with Five Fingers'' (1946). He was also associate director to

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is conside ...

on Chaplin's film ''

Monsieur Verdoux ''Monsieur Verdoux'' is a 1947 American black comedy film directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, who plays a bigamist wife killer inspired by serial killer Henri Désiré Landru. The supporting cast includes Martha Raye, William Frawley, a ...

'' (1947).

Freelance director

Florey directed ''

Tarzan and the Mermaids ''Tarzan and the Mermaids'' is a 1948 adventure film based on the Tarzan character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Directed by Robert Florey, it was the last of twelve Tarzan films to star Johnny Weissmuller in the title role. It was also the f ...

'' (1948) with

Johnny Weissmuller Johnny Weissmuller (born Johann Peter Weißmüller; June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an American Olympic swimmer, water polo player and actor. He was known for having one of the best competitive swimming records of the 20th century. H ...

for Sol Lesser in Mexico, and two

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army ...

films: ''

Rogues' Regiment ''Rogues' Regiment'' is a 1948 film noir action film directed by Robert Florey and starring Dick Powell, Märta Torén, and Vincent Price. It is the first American feature film to be set in the First Indochina War. Plot An American Intelligence ...

'' (1948) with

Dick Powell Richard Ewing Powell (November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American actor, musician, producer, director, and studio head. Though he came to stardom as a musical comedy performer, he showed versatility, and successfully transformed into ...

and '' Outpost in Morocco'' (1949) with

George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...

. He did ''

The Crooked Way ''The Crooked Way'' is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring John Payne, Sonny Tufts and Ellen Drew. The film, with a similar plot (a war hero loses his memory stateside) to another film noir '' Somewhere in ...

'' (1949) with John Payne, ''

The Vicious Years ''The Vicious Years'' is a 1950 American film directed by Robert Florey. The screenplay concerns an orphan named Mario who witnesses Luca Rossi committing a murder, and blackmails Luca into taking him home as a member of his family. Plot Mario ...

'' (1950), ''

Johnny One-Eye ''Johnny One-Eye'' is a 1950 film noir crime film from a story by Damon Runyon, directed by Robert Florey starring Pat O'Brien, Wayne Morris, Dolores Moran and Gayle Reed. Plot In Manhattan, former gangster turned legitimate businessman Ma ...

'' (1950) with Pat O'Brien, and ''Charlie's Haunt'' (1950) with

Edgar Bergen Edgar John Bergen (born Edgar John Berggren; February 16, 1903 – September 30, 1978) was an American ventriloquist, actor, comedian, vaudevillian and radio performer, best known for his proficiency in ventriloquism and his characters ...

then did some uncredited work on Flynn's ''

The Adventure of Captain Fabian ''Adventures of Captain Fabian'' or ''Adventure in New Orleans'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by William Marshall and starring Errol Flynn, Micheline Presle, Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead and Victor Francen. Plot George Brissac ...

'' (1951).

Television

Florey's earliest work for television included ''

The Walt Disney Christmas Show ''From All of Us to All of You'' is an animated television Christmas special, produced by Walt Disney Productions and first presented on December 19, 1958 on ABC as part of the ''Walt Disney Presents'' anthology series. Hosted by Jiminy Cricket a ...

'' (1951) and ''Operation Wonderland'' (1951) for Disney. He soon devoted himself to television almost exclusively, doing episodes of '' Your Favorite Story'', '' The Loretta Young Show'', '' Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'', ''

The Star and the Story ''The Star and the Story'' is an American television anthology series which aired 1955–1956 in first-run syndication. A filmed half-hour series, episodes were approximately 25 minutes long, excluding commercials. Produced by Four Star Product ...

'', '' Four Star Playhouse'', '' Ethel Barrymore Theater'', '' Wire Service'', '' Telephone Time'', '' Studio 57'', '' Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre'', ''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'', ''

Schlitz Playhouse ''Schlitz Playhouse of Stars'' is an anthology series that was telecast from 1951 until 1959 on CBS. Offering both Television comedy, comedies and Dramatic programming, drama, the series was sponsored by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. The ti ...

'', '' M Squad'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'','' The Restless Gun'' (the pilot), '' Goodyear Theatre'', ''

Alcoa Theatre ''Alcoa Theatre'' is a half-hour American anthology series telecast on NBC at 9:30 pm on Monday nights from September 30, 1957 to May 23, 1960. The program also aired under the title ''Turn of Fate''. ''Alcoa Theatre'' was syndicated together ...

'', '' Black Saddle'', ''

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse ''Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse'' is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on the Columbia Broadcasting System between 1958 and 1960. Three of its 48 episodes served as pilots for the 1950s televisio ...

'', '' The Rough Riders'', '' The David Niven Show'', '' Lock Up'', ''

Zane Grey Theater ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Western anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956, until September 20, 1962. Format Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which Four Star F ...

'', ''

The Untouchables Untouchables or The Untouchables may refer to: American history * Untouchables (law enforcement), a 1930s American law enforcement unit led by Eliot Ness * ''The Untouchables'' (book), an autobiography by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley * ''The U ...

'', ''

The DuPont Show with June Allyson ''The DuPont Show with June Allyson'' (also known as ''The June Allyson Show'') is an American anthology drama series which aired on CBS from September 21, 1959, to April 3, 1961, with rebroadcasts continuing until June 12, 1961. The series wa ...

'', '' Markham'', '' The Texan'', ''

Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

'', ''

Michael Shayne Michael "Mike" Shayne is a fictional private detective character created during the late 1930s by writer Brett Halliday, a pseudonym of Davis Dresser. The character appeared in a series of seven films starring Lloyd Nolan for Twentieth Century ...

'', ''

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a List of cities in China, city and Special administrative regions of China, special ...

'', '' The Barbara Stanwyck Show'', '' Adventures in Paradise'', ''

Thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

'', ''

Alcoa Premiere ''Alcoa Premiere'' (also known as ''Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire'') is an American anthology drama series that aired from October 1961 to July 1963 on ABC. The series was hosted by Fred Astaire, who also starred in several of the episodes ...

'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'', ''

The Dick Powell Theatre ''The Dick Powell Show'' is an American television anthology series that ran on NBC from September 26, 1961, until September 17, 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. Overview The series was an anthology of various drama ...

'', '' Going My Way'', '' The Great Adventure'', ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...

'' (" Perchance to Dream", " The Fever", "

The Long Morrow "The Long Morrow" is episode 135 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on January 10, 1964 on CBS. In this episode, an astronaut falls in love on the eve of a 40-year-long space voyage. The story fo ...

") and '' The Outer Limits''. He also wrote a number of books, including ''

Pola Negri Pola Negri (; born Apolonia Chalupec ; 3 January 1897 – 1 August 1987) was a Polish stage and film actress and singer. She achieved worldwide fame during the silent and golden eras of Hollywood and European film for her tragedienne and femm ...

'' (1927) and ''

'' (1927), ''Hollywood d'hier et d'aujord'hui'' (1948), ''

La Lanterne magique ''La Lanterne magique'', sold in the United States as ''The Magic Lantern'' and in Britain as ''The Magic Lantern, or the Bioscope in the Toy Shop'', is a 1903 French short silent film by Georges Méliès. It was sold by Méliès's Star Film Com ...

'' (1966), and ''Hollywood annee zero'' (1972). In 1950, Florey was made a knight in the French

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

. His 1937 thriller ''

'' (1937), starring

, was added to the

in 2006. He was married once from 1928 to 1936 and then a second time to Virginia Florey who lived until 2000. He is buried at the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles with his second wife.

Complete filmography

as an actor * '' The Masque of Life''(1915-16) Italian This filmography lists Florey's credits as director of feature films, and is believed to be complete. * ''

That Model from Paris ''That Model from Paris'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring Marceline Day, Bert Lytell, and Eileen Percy Eileen Percy (August 1902 – 29 July 1973) was an Irish-born American actress of the ...

'', 1926 (uncredited) * '' One Hour of Love'', 1927 * '' The Romantic Age'', 1927 * ''

'', 1927 * '' The Hole in the Wall'', 1929 * '' The Cocoanuts'', 1929 * '' The Battle of Paris'', 1929 * ''

'' (''La Route est belle''), 1930 * '' Love Songs'' (''L'Amour chante''), 1930 * ''El Profesor de mi Señora'', 1930 * '' Rendezvous'', 1930 * ''

'' (''Le Blanc et la noir'') (co-director), 1931 * ''

'', 1932 * '' The Man Called Back'', 1932 * '' Those We Love'', 1932 * '' Girl Missing'', 1933 * '' Ex-Lady'', 1933 * '' The House on 56th Street'', 1933 * ''

'', 1934 * ''

'', 1934 * '' Smarty'', 1934 * '' I Sell Anything'', 1934 * '' I Am a Thief'', 1934 * '' The Woman in Red, 1935 * '' The Florentine Dagger'', 1935 * '' Go Into Your Dance'' (uncredited), 1935 * '' Going Highbrow'', 1935 * '' Don't Bet on Blondes'', 1935 * '' Ship Cafe'', 1935 * '' The Payoff'', 1935 * '' The Preview Murder Mystery'', 1936 * '' Till We Meet Again'', 1936 * ''

'', 1936 * '' Outcast'', 1937 * ''

'', 1937 * '' Mountain Music'', 1937 * '' This Way Please'', 1937 * ''

'', 1937 * '' Dangerous to Know'', 1938 * '' King of Alcatraz'', 1938 * ''

Disbarred Disbarment, also known as striking off, is the removal of a lawyer from a bar association or the practice of law, thus revoking their law license or admission to practice law. Disbarment is usually a punishment for unethical or criminal conduc ...

'', 1939 * '' Hotel Imperial'', 1939 * '' The Magnificent Fraud'', 1939 * '' Death of a Champion'', 1939 * '' Parole Fixer'', 1940 * '' Women Without Names'', 1940 * '' The Face Behind the Mask'', 1941 * '' Meet Boston Blackie'', 1941 * ''

'', 1941 * '' Dangerously They Live'', 1941 * '' Lady Gangster'' (billed as Florian Roberts), 1941 * '' Bomber's Moon'' (second-unit director), 1943 * ''

'', 1943 * ''

'', 1944 * ''

'', 1944 * '' God Is My Co-Pilot'', 1945 * '' Danger Signal'', 1945 * ''

'', 1945 * '' The Beast with Five Fingers'', 1946 * ''

'', 1948 * ''

'', 1948 * '' Outpost in Morocco'', 1949 * ''

'', 1949 * ''

'', 1950 * ''

Adventures of Captain Fabian ''Adventures of Captain Fabian'' or ''Adventure in New Orleans'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by William Marshall and starring Errol Flynn, Micheline Presle, Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead and Victor Francen. Plot George Brissac ...

'' (uncredited), 1951

Short subjects

The Love of Zero, 35mm film Robert Florey1928

* ''The Love of Zero'', 1927 * ''Hello New York!'' (aka ''Bonjour New York''), 1928 * '' The Life and Death of 9413: a Hollywood Extra'', 1928 * ''Skyscraper Symphony'', 1929 * ''Fifty-Fifty'', 1932 * "The Incredible Dr. Markesan" Thriller Series, costars

, 1962

Footnotes

References

*Koszarski, Richard. 1976. ''Hollywood Directors: 1914-1940''. Oxford University Press. Library of Congress Catalog Number: 76-9262. *

External links

*
Literature on Robert Florey
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Florey, Robert 1900 births 1979 deaths American film directors Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Film people from Paris Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) French emigrants to the United States